


Close To Me

by amirthfulgirl



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Christmas evening, Christmas fic, Cuddling, M/M, Pre-Relationship, bed sharing, just lots of cuddling, napping together, that’s really the only plotpoint
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-23
Updated: 2020-12-23
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:36:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28266264
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amirthfulgirl/pseuds/amirthfulgirl
Summary: Rafael reveals that he has no plans for Christmas. Sonny cannot let that go and needs to change something about that.
Relationships: Rafael Barba/Dominick "Sonny" Carisi Jr.
Comments: 12
Kudos: 45





	Close To Me

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone,
> 
> Welcome to this short but sweet Christmas fic. I had this stuck in my head and I slowly wrote it down, it turned out a bit differently than planned and is very light on plot but I hope everyone will enjoy it anyway!
> 
> I’m happy to hear your feedback and get some kudos.
> 
> Thanks for reading my attempts at writing this year, happy holidays! ✨
> 
> English is still not my first language so sorry for any mistakes.

“What are your plans for the holidays?” Sonny asked around the squad room. The day had been slow so far so it was a good day for some chitchat.  
“Just gonna enjoy some mother time with the girls.” Amanda said with smile. Sonny knew that she was excited to have two or three quiet days just with them.  
“I’m gonna visit Ken, spend some time with him and my grandson.” Fun answered proudly.  
“What about you, Lieu? Spending time with Noah?” Olivia had just stepped into the squad room from her office, listening to their exchange.  
Olivia smiled at Sonny, always happy to see her detective so interested in the other squad members.  
“Yes I will. It’s been quite busy the last months so I’m glad to have some time with him.”

Olivia had arranged that everyone could somehow have some days free over the holidays but that the precinct was still running smoothly in case they were needed.  
The last weeks had indeed been very exhausting for all of them, chasing one perp after the other, so they were all excited for some down time.

“What about you counselor, any plans?” Barba had just rounded the corner from the elevator, ready to head straight into Olivia’s office but did a double take upon the detective’s question and looked at him slightly confused over the rim of his coffee cup.  
“The holidays. You have any plans?” Sonny asked again with a happy smile, thrumming with excitement over the upcoming holidays like a five-year old.  
“Uh no not really, detective.” The ADA answered shortly with a neutral expression before striding over to the Lieu’s office.

The detective apparently wasn’t entirely satisfied with Rafael’s answer though so when he came by the office the next day he not only had a case file and a cup of coffee (that Rafael gratefully accepted) with him but also the same question once again.

“You really don’t have anything planned for the holidays, counselor? I’m sure even the DA’s office occasionally gives their employees a day off.”  
“I do actually have a few days off, detective, but that still doesn’t mean I have to have any specific plans.” Rafael answered curtly, not in the mood to continue the conversation but the detective wasn’t always that great at taking a hint.  
“Not even with your mother? Like for dinner or so? I mean I won’t spend all my free days with my family either, that would be too exhausting but at least some days.”  
“My mother is in fact not in the city. And as you may know, my grandmother died earlier this year. Was that all, detective?” Rafael threw a sharp look into the detective’s direction. The detective seemed a bit startled by Rafael’s sharp tone and left the office with a quiet sorry.

Rafael had actually grown quite fond of the detective in the last months and he was one of the few people that had particularly looked after him after he had heard that Rafael’s grandmother had died but sometimes he was a bit too eager for his own good. Rafael admired the other man for still coming in every day with that bright smile on his lips although they saw the worst of humanity every day.

Rafael probably should have known that Sonny wouldn’t let this go so easily though. Therefore he shouldn’t be so surprised that on Christmas evening, the tall blue-eyed man was standing in front of him at his apartment door with a small present bag in one hand and what looked like dessert in the other hand. He had a beige coat thrown over a dark blue jumper with a blue-striped white shirt peeking out at the collar and some dark jeans. Rafael felt a bit underdressed in his dark polo shirt and light jeans and bare feet.

“Hi, I don’t wanna intrude too much but your neighbour let me in and it just wouldn’t leave me alone that you would be all alone over the coming days and I won’t see my family until tomorrow afternoon anyway so I thought I’d come by, maybe offer some company.” Sonny had barely taken a breath during his little speech. He was now looking nervously at Rafael with a shy smile and wide blue eyes.  
Rafael sighed. He actually wouldn’t mind some company if he was honest so he gestured the other man to come in.  
“Let me take this. You can hang your coat there.” He took the bag and the dessert from Sonny’s hand, placing the latter on the kitchen counter and the bag under the small Christmas tree he had in one corner of his living room.

When the detective took the few steps from his doorway into Rafael’s living area he looked around curiously.  
“Your apartment is really nice! I love it.”  
“Thanks.” Rafael responded shyly. He had a small kitchen area that was attached to a small living room with a dining table and a couch and bookshelves on every free wall.

“I have something to eat in the oven, it should actually be ready in about 15 minutes. It should be more than enough for the two of us.” He smiled tentatively at the other man.  
“That’s great. I really hope it’s okay that I’m here.” Sonny added.  
“Yes sure. I’m happy to not be alone.” And Rafael indeed was, especially with Sonny being the one being the company.

“I’m actually gonna check on the food. You can get the big dinner plates from the cabinet over there if you don’t mind?” Rafael suggested. And with that they started arranging the table before Rafael brought out the food which Sonny praised before even tasting it. Which had put a faint blush onto Rafael’s cheeks.

Dinner went by easily, the initial awkwardness soon replaced by a conversation (read: monologue) about Sonny’s sisters. Rafael chimed in occasionally but mostly enjoyed listening to the other man talk.

When they had finished the fantastic tiramisu that Sonny had brought too, it was the detective who tried breaking up their lovely evening.  
“I really should get out of your hair. I think I’ve annoyed you enough for tonight.”  
“You can stay if you want. We can watch a movie or so.” Rafael motioned towards his living room.  
“Really? That would actually be great! What movies do you have?” Sonny asked eagerly already seating himself on the couch.  
“Uh I have some subscriptions you can search through them. Do you want something more comfortable to wear?” Rafael asked tentatively. Sonny looked down at himself before agreeing so Rafael went and fetched some old sweats of his and a shirt that he hoped would somehow fit the other man, he was a little bit lankier than Rafael after all.

He showed Sonny the bathroom while he settled himself on the couch as well, gathering some blankets to use. If he was sitting as though he’d definitely be close to the other person on the couch that was obviously totally accidental.

What was indeed accidental that Rafael fell asleep barely half an hour into the movie.  
He only awoke again when Sonny was softly pushing against his shoulder which only resulted in him pushing closer against the warm chest he was lying on, not wanting to leave the moment.  
“Rafael, wake up. We’ve been napping for 2 hours, you should head to bed and I should get out of here.” Sonny softly said.  
“You don’t have to leave.” Rafael murmured into his chest, gripping the other man’s shirt.

Sonny chuckled at that.  
“We should at least get to your bedroom, Rafael, it’ll be a bit more comfy.”  
Rafael just grumbled as Sonny tried to move.  
“Come on, Rafi.”  
Rafael just huffed again but slowly removed himself from his warm pillow to rub at his eyes.  
Sonny got up rather quickly and held out his hand to Rafael who took it to pull himself up from the couch with a grunt only to fall into Sonny’s arms immediately.  
Sonny just chuckled again before wrapping his arms tightly around Rafael and then slowly steering them towards his bedroom.

Rafael eventually detached himself from the other man so he could get ready for bed too.  
When he came back into the bedroom, Sonny was already wrapped into the blanket, only his head still visible.  
Rafael quickly slipped unter the blanket too and immediately moved close to Sonny so he could feel his warmth again.  
Everything felt so natural and easy Rafael could barely believe this was reality but it was.

“Thanks for the great evening. Merry Christmas Rafael.” Sonny murmured into his hair before placing a soft kiss on his forehead.  
“Merry Christmas Sonny.” Rafael responded before slowly drifting off to sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed the story and will enjoy your holidays!
> 
> Comments and kudos are always welcome, thank you!
> 
> You can find me on twitter @ndrwsctt.


End file.
